A more absolute France?

So, as of late, I've been contemplating an interesting French scenario...
WI the Will of King Louis XIV had not been annulled by the Parlement of Paris?

More specifically, how can we get this to happen, and what would be the primary effects of this? Obviously Orléans would have been unable to dominate the Regency Council set up by the document, and both Maine and Toulouse (and most likely by extension, Madame de Maintenon) would have been able to play key rôles in the regency.

I wonder if the Parlement of Paris and the noblesse d'épée would have also been far more subjugated, as they were in the reign of King Louis XIV?

I'm interested in starting a discussion on this, and hearing ideas and opinions from everyone...
 
A France where the power of the Parlements, Parisian or otherwise, is curtailed, would be very different indeed. Supposing few butterflies for example, the Parlements would be unable to oppose Louis XVI's tax reforms, which means that France's financial collapse following the intevervention in the ARW that led to the French Revolution, would probably be very different, if not avoided entirely.

I don't however know enough about Louis XV's reign to really comment on that, but it would have pretty deep consequences later on.
 
Louis XV attempted a taxation reform in the late 1740s would tax a twentieth of all revenue, including the aristocracy and the clergy. It was the parlements which ultimately lead to the reform being withdrawn. Louis XV similarly combated with the parlements towards the end of his reign, so without those problems France might be better shape. One thing without the d'Orléans regency would the Parlement of Paris not recovering it's right to delay or not register royal edicts. Louis XIV stripped them of that right in the 1680s IIRC.
 
Louis XV attempted a taxation reform in the late 1740s would tax a twentieth of all revenue, including the aristocracy and the clergy. It was the parlements which ultimately lead to the reform being withdrawn. Louis XV similarly combated with the parlements towards the end of his reign, so without those problems France might be better shape. One thing without the d'Orléans regency would the Parlement of Paris not recovering it's right to delay or not register royal edicts. Louis XIV stripped them of that right in the 1680s IIRC.
But the nobles fudged their taxes to avoid paying the full vingti ème in OTL, and I can't see why they would not ITTL either.

Although maybe a more absolute monarch would be able to hold them responsible for doing so. And make the First Estate pay as well. I can't see this lasting too long though, eventually there will be a reaction against Louis's coup against the parlements by the First and Second estates.
 

LittleSpeer

Monthly Donor
And if the French Revolution was avoided, Who knows what would happen if a monarchist France goes to war with Europe with Napoleon at the helm.(fun to think about but i don't think he could live with not being the ruler)
 
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